Anastasius I of Byzantium

Anastasius I of Byzantium (431-9 July 518) was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 491 to 518, succeeding Zeno of Byzantium and preceding Justin I of Byzantium.

Biography
Anastasius was born in 431 to the Greek House of Pompeius. He became a palace official, and at the time of the death of Emperor Zeno of Byzantium, Zeno's widow Ariadne preferred Anastasius as a successor to Longinus, Zeno's brother. Anastasius was acclaimed emperor, but he had to fight Longinus in the Isaurian War. He also campaigned against the Sassanid Empire in the Anastasian War. He died in 518 at the age of 87, very old for his time. Anastasius was succeeded by the commander of the palace guard, Justin I of Byzantium.